Runaway Train And It's Connection To Existentialism

The film Runaway Train shows many discrete and rather indescrete examples of Existentialism throughout the duration of the film. The idea of embracing or ultimately denying life was a popular notion within the film as Manny (who had represented Christ) within the film had embraced life, and lived for the moment in which he could experience freedom, up until the point in which he would engage Rankin in combat. The Existentialist view upon human life following the course of fate, or rather that we create our own destiny, was extremely apparent in many more ways than one. Manny had been put away for various crimes hinted at, (Robbing Banks etc.) and it was he who decided what he was going to do, not Fate itself. Manny himself also had chosen the Runaway Train in which he and Buck would take to freedom, Fate had nothing to do it. When asked about why that train would be the one to take, Manny replies simply, "Because I Want IT"

The film itself also had portrayed the train as a representation of many ideologies. The train had represented Humanity and it's rapid speed had indicated the "speed" in which technology updates. However, no amount of technology would slow down this Runaway Train. The train itself also simulated the process of life, how each individual seems to rush to the next thing. This relates to the film as Manny and Buck were in search of freedom from a hell-like prison, on a train ride they'd never forget.

The ending for Midnight Cowboy was really depressing to say the least. Here it is that we have two brothers Rico and Joe Buck trying to hustle and survive on the cold streets of New York, and after all of the hardships they've endured both on a physical and mental state, Joe finally "makes it" in terms of making money, and before you know it on the way down to Miami, Rizzo dies and never lives to see the area in which he has spent his whole life trying to go. I'm definitely going to watch the movie again, Definitely one of my favorites I have watched to the present day.